The Akshaya Trtiya (also known as Akha Teej) Festival is held on the third day of Baisakh's bright (waxing) half (April–May).
- The name of the event comes from the idea that the religious merit gained through rituals done on this day is unbreakable (akshaya).
- This is supposed to be the first day of the Treta Yuga (a previous cosmic era), and it is considered extremely fortunate as a transitional day.
- Vishnu and his wife Lakshmi are worshipped on this day, which is also considered to be the birthday of Vishnu's sixth incarnation, Parashuram avatar.
On Akshaya Trtiya, the temple doors at the Four Himalayan Dhams (the holy towns of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath) are opened after being closed all winter, in keeping with both the worship of Vishnu and the belief that this is a transitional day, and worship in those places is resumed until after the festival of Diwali in the fall. Also see the Four Dhams.
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